Never Alone
by queenofomega
Summary: One-shot: Ziva does not like to show weakness to anybody... but when she has to, Gibbs is there to support her and offer her guidance. Ziva/Gibbs, friendship, father/daughter. Post-Somalia.


**Disclaimer: *sobs***

**Author's Note: It's been awhile, hasn't it... anyway, I have two new one-shots. This one and **_Give Me Ten Minutes_**. I will also be continuing **_Hello, Jethro _**and starting a new NCIS fic, **_Lizzie_**. There's a poll on my profile about it and I'd appreciate some response to it. Thanks!**

**Reviews appreciated.  
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"Gibbs."

He expected her to be there. Since her previous breakdown in his basement after returning from Somalia, he knew it would only be time before she would be back. Ziva sat on the floor next to his workbench. She looked like she had not even made the effort to find a chair. Her shoulders were hunched forward and her hair obscured her face. Gibbs could tell she was hiding her tears from him.

"Ziver," he murmured, sitting down on the floor in front of her.

She did not speak again. Gibbs watched her. He could tell she was trying to straighten her posture and regain her composure but Gibbs merely put a hand on her knee.

"Ziver," he said again. This time she did look up. Her eyes were swollen and red-rimmed.

"I am sorry, Gibbs," she whispered.

"Don't apologize it's-"

"A sign of weakness," Ziva finished for him with half a forced laugh. "That is why I am here, Gibbs. Weakness. I did not know whom I could go to... I have tried to stay strong and I-"

"What about that woman... what's her name? With the man hands," Gibbs suggested, not unkindly.

"I couldn't. It is one thing to talk to a professional, it is another to talk to a... a friend."

"I know," Gibbs grunted in response.

He kept his hand on Siva's knee. He heard the hesitation in her voice as she called him her friend. Gibbs remembered the other night, when she had said that he was the closest thing she had to a father. She was wondering if that had pushed a boundary and was hesitant to say it again. He rubbed his thumb in a calming manner across her knee.

"Talk to me, David."

She wet her lips slowly. Gibbs could see the scars still there from when they had been split open. He could see the obvious pain in the action. Whether or not the scars still hurt, the memories did.

"It is... hard... to move on. I used to be able to compartmentalize what was needed to be pushed away. Never had I had so much trouble with that."

"Because of Tony?"

He hit the target. Her composure crumbled again and he could see her trying not to let the tears escape. She had barely spoken to Tony. He knew they had had one confrontation in the men's room but Gibbs also knew that would not heal their relationship entirely. Inwardly, it was difficult to watch his team so... quiet around one another but he had to maintain his hard image at work.

But not here.

"Ziva, he cares about you."

"You think I do not know that, Gibbs?" she replied quickly but her voice cracked halfway through. "Okay, I did not want to accept it after what happened with... Michael. But how do I face him? How do I go to work everyday, acting as if nothing happened?"

"No one is expecting you to pretend, Ziva. Especially not our team. I can only imagine what happened in your apartment and in Somalia but I know it was not something that will be easily recovered from. You requested to come back to work... but no one would have blamed you if you needed to take the time off."

Ziva was silent. Gibbs knew that appearing strong was all she knew. There were times he wished he had been her father rather than Eli David. He hated the man for what he had done to her- what he had made her. No child should ever be raised to be a machine. He knew Ziva was not invincible. There were times she could get through the toughest situations and the whole team admired her for it. Gibbs, however, knew she must have a breaking point. He had a feeling she had reached it and she had never been taught how to cope with it.

He continued rubbing his thumb against her knee. That was when she finally could not hold it in any longer. Ziva buried her face in her hands and let out a strangled cry. She leaned forward and Gibbs let her fall into his arms. He rubbed her back in circles and let her cry. He could only imagine the months of torture she was forced to endure silently, without showing even a hint of a reaction to their beatings and who knew what else. He remained quiet, half not knowing what to say and half waiting for her to make the next move. When she didn't, Gibbs stopped rubbing her back, gently grabbed her shoulders and pushed her upright again. He then placed his hand under her chin and nudged it upward until she was looking at him.

"Listen, Ziva, you are not alone in this. You never were. We came after you in Somalia because we care and still do. We know whatever happened there is not over yet for you. We will help you through it," Gibbs lectured in a quiet, placating tone.

"Even Tony?" she managed to whisper.

"Yes, even Tony."

Then let her fall into his arms once more. They stayed there until it was dark outside and Ziva was slowly dozing off, obviously both physically and emotionally exhausted. Knowing he was not going to let her drive home then spend the night alone, he picked her up and carried her into the guest room. She snuggled into the covers and Gibbs leaned over her, kissed her forehead and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

The only reason he thanked Eli for teaching her to be strong was because he knew she would make it through.

**Fin.**


End file.
